County Fermanagh
|image_shield = Ferm arms.png |motto = Feor Magh Eanagh |image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Fermanagh.svg |area_total_km2 = 1851 |area_rank = 25th |seat_type = County town |seat = Enniskillen |population = 61170 |population_rank = 28th |population_as_of = est. 2011 |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = United Kingdom |subdivision_type1 = Region |subdivision_name1 = Northern Ireland |subdivision_type2 = Province |subdivision_name2 = Ulster |footnotes = Contae Fhear Manach is the Irish name; Countie Fermanagh, Coontie Fermanagh and Coontie Fermanay are Ulster Scots spellings (the latter used only by Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council). }} County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km² (653 sq; mi) and has a population of about 61,170. Enniskillen is the county town and largest in both size and population. Fermanagh is also one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland and is within the historic province of Ulster. Fermanagh is one of the four counties of Northern Ireland presently to have a majority of the population from a Catholic background, according to the 2011 census. Geography Fermanagh borders County Tyrone to the north-east, County Monaghan to the south-east, County Cavan to the south-west, County Leitrim to the west and County Donegal to the north-west. The county town, Enniskillen, is the largest settlement in Fermanagh, situated in the middle of the county. It is mainly rural and is situated largely in the basin of the River Erne. It is dominated by two connected lakes: Upper and Lower Lough Erne, and, including water, spans an area of 1,851 km² (715 sq; mi).http://www.thefreedictionary.com/County+Fermanagh County Fermanagh, Land Area It is approximately from Belfast and from Dublin. History The Annals of Ulster which cover medieval Ireland between AD 431 to AD 1540 were written at Belle Isle on Lough Erne near Lisbellaw. Fermanagh was a stronghold of the Maguire clan and Donn Carrach Maguire (died 1302) was the first of the chiefs of the Maguire dynasty. However on the confiscation of lands relating to Hugh Maguire, Fermanagh was divided in similar manner to the other five escheated counties among Scottish and English undertakers and native Irish. The baronies of Knockninny and Magheraboy were allotted to Scottish undertakers, those of Clankelly, Magherastephana and Lurg to English undertakers and those of Clanawley, Coole, and Tyrkennedy, to servitors and natives. The chief families to benefit under the new settlement were the families of Cole, Blennerhasset, Butler, Hume, and Dunbar. Fermanagh was made into a county by statute of Elizabeth I, but it was not until the time of the Plantation of Ulster that it was finally brought under civil government. Administration }} Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas. Fermanagh is part of the Fermanagh and South Tyrone Parliamentary Constituency, renowned for high levels of voting and for electing Provisional IRA hunger-striker Bobby Sands as a member of parliament in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election, April 1981, shortly before his death. Industry and tourism Agriculture and tourism are two of the most important industries in Fermanagh. The main types of farming in the area are beef, dairy, sheep, pigs and some poultry. Most of the agricultural land is used as grassland for grazing and silage or hay rather than for other crops. The waterways are extensively used by cabin cruisers, other small pleasure craft and anglers. The main town of Fermanagh is Enniskillen ( , 'Ceithleann's island'). The island town hosts a range of attractions including the Castle Coole Estate and Enniskillen Castle, which is home to the museum of The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. Attractions outside Enniskillen include: * Belleek Pottery * Castle Archdale * Crom Estate * Devenish Island * Florence Court * Lough Navar Forest Park * Marble Arch Caves Settlements Large towns (population of 18,000 or more and under 75,000 at 2001 Census) * none Medium towns (population of 10,000 or more and under 18,000 at 2001 Census) * Enniskillen Small towns (population of 4,500 or more and under 10,000 at 2001 Census) * none Intermediate settlements (population of 2,250 or more and under 4,500 at 2001 Census) * Lisnaskea Villages (population of 1,000 or more and under 2,250 at 2001 Census) * Ballinamallard * Irvinestown * Lisbellaw Small villages or hamlets (population of less than 1,000 at 2001 Census) * Belcoo * Bellanaleck * Belleek * Boho * Brookeborough * Corranny * Derrygonnelly * Derrylin * Ederney * Garrison * Kesh * Maguiresbridge * Newtownbutler * Rosslea * Teemore * Tempo Subdivisions Baronies *Clanawley *Clankelly *Coole *Knockninny *Lurg *Magheraboy *Magherastephana *Tirkennedy Parishes Townlands Media Newspapers * The Fermanagh Herald * The Fermanagh News * The Impartial Reporter Radio * Q101.2 New Media * Fermanagh.tv Sport .]] Fermanagh GAA has never won a Senior Provincial or an All-Ireland title in any Gaelic games. Only Ballinamallard United F.C. take part in the Northern Ireland football league system. All other Fermanagh clubs play in the Fermanagh & Western FA league systems. Fermanagh Mallards F.C. played in the Women's Premier League until 2013. Famous Football players from Fermanagh include Roy Carroll, Harry Chatton, Barry Owens and Kyle Lafferty. Notable people Famous people born, raised in or living in Fermanagh. (Please make additions in alphabetical order.) * John Armstrong (1717–1795), born in Fermanagh, United States Congressman * Samuel Beckett (1906–1989), author and playwright (educated in Portora Royal School) * Denis Parsons Burkitt (1911–1993), doctor – discoverer of Burkitt's lymphoma * Roy Carroll (1977– ), association footballer * Edward Cooney (1867–1960), evangelist and early leader of the Cooneyite and Go-Preachers * Brian D'Arcy (1945– ), C.P. Passionist priest and media personality * Brendan Dolan (1973– ), Professional darts player for the PDC * Adrian Dunbar (1958– ), actor * Neil Hannon (1970– ), musician * Robert Kerr (1882–1963), athlete & Olympic Gold Medalist * Kyle Lafferty (1987– ), Northern Ireland International association footballer * Charles Lawson (1959– ), actor (plays Jim McDonald in Coronation Street) * Francis Little (1822–1890), born in Fermanagh, Wisconsin State Senator * Terence MacManus (c. 1823–1861), leader in Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 * Michael Magner (1840-97), recipient of the Victoria Cross * Cathal McConnell (1944– ), traditional flute player and singer, founding member of the group The Boys of the Lough. * Ciaran McMenamin (1975– ), actor * Sean Quinn (1947– ), entrepreneur * Michael Sleavon (1826-1902), recipient of the Victoria Cross * Oscar Wilde (1854–1900), author and playwright (educated in Portora Royal School) * Gordon Wilson (1927–1995), Peace campaigner and Irish senator See also * Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland (County Fermanagh) * Castles in County Fermanagh * Extreme points of the United Kingdom * High Sheriff of Fermanagh * List of parishes of County Fermanagh * List of places in County Fermanagh * List of townlands in County Fermanagh * Lord Lieutenant of Fermanagh * People from County Fermanagh * Silver bands in County Fermanagh Notes References * Clogher Record * "Fermanagh" A Dictionary of British Place-Names. A. D. Mills. Oxford University Press, 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Northern Ireland Public Libraries. 25 July 2007 * "Fermanagh" Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition. 25 July 2007 . * Fermanagh: its special landscapes: a study of the Fermanagh countryside and its heritage /Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. – Belfast: HMSO, 1991 ISBN 0-337-08276-6 * Livingstone, Peadar. – The Fermanagh story:a documented history of the County Fermanagh from the earliest times to the present day – Enniskillen: Cumann Seanchais Chlochair, 1969. * Lowe, Henry N. – County Fermanagh 100 years ago: a guide and directory 1880. – Belfast: Friar's Bush Press, 1990. ISBN 0-946872-29-5 * Parke, William K. – A Fermanagh Childhood. Derrygonnelly, Co Fermanagh: Friar's Bush Press, 1988. ISBN 0-946872-12-0 * Impartial Reporter * Fermanagh Herald External links * * Clogherhistory.ie * Fermanagh GAA * A folk history of Fermanagh Category:County Fermanagh Category:Geography of County Fermanagh Category:Counties of Northern Ireland